Migrated from fixing-and-extending-comicpress v7

Fixing-and-Extending-ComicPress.textile

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+h2. Where to do work on ComicPress
+
 Unless you already have the code written, <em>don't do development on your live site!</em> Install a test/local copy of WordPress and work on that.
 
 <notextile>
@@ -8,6 +10,24 @@ Unless you already have the code written, <em>don't do development on your live
 </ul>
 </notextile>
 
+Also, in your local PHP installation, get "XDebug":http://www.xdebug.org/ working. Its error messages are much more useful than the standard PHP ones, and "var_dump":http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.var-dump.php output looks nicer, too.
+
 h2. functions.php
 
-If you're not using the default ComicPress theme (say, you're using 3 column or GN), and you haven't customized your <code>functions.php</code> file, a new one can (theoretically) be dropped into the target directory without affecting functionality.
+If you're not using the default ComicPress theme (say, you're using 3 column or GN), and you haven't customized your <code>functions.php</code> file, a new version of <code>functions.php</code> can (theoretically) be dropped into the target directory without affecting functionality.
+
+h2. Debugging Problems in ComicPress
+
+* Before working on your files, <strong>make backups of everything!</strong> Database and theme files, please. Or, even better, use "git":http://git-scm.com/ to manage your work on the theme.
+* Make sure error reporting is turned on. On production servers it often isn't (and it shouldn't be). At the top of your <code>functions.php</code> file, add <code>error_reporting(E_ALL)</code> while you're working on an issue, and then remove it when you're done.
+* Use "var_dump":http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.var-dump.php instead of "echo":http://www.php.net/echo to print out variable information.
+* Make sure your code is outputting what it really should be outputting by using View Source in your browser.
+* Learn to use "Firebug":http://www.getfirebug.com/ to diagnose display, tag, and network problems.
+** And, if you've got the skills, use "FirePHP":http://www.firephp.org/, too.
+* Look up what the WordPress function that you're trying to use actually does on one of the many PHPXref sites that have the WordPress code all processed. I recommend "http://phpxref.com/xref/wordpress/":http://phpxref.com/xref/wordpress/
+
+h2. Producing a patch
+
+If you're using git, "git-format-patch":http://www.kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-format-patch.html will do the trick. Bundle up the patch and send it to me.
+
+If you're not using git, send along the modified theme files and I'll do my best to integrate your changes into the theme. Please be specific about what changed in your mail to me.